“If” may be the biggest little word in our systems of vocal and written communication. It can play the game of life both ways — either positive or negative. Georgetown and East View will play the “if” game from different perspectives at 6 p.m. Friday when the sixth-ranked Lady Eagles play the 23-ranked Patriots in the opening half of a girls-boys varsity doubleheader at East View. If Rhonda Farney’s Lady Eagles win the pivotal contest, they will claim at least a two-game lead over the field in seven-team District 18-5A with a 6-0 mark at the midpoint of the race. They would improve their season record to 21-7. If Dave Walla’s Patriots prevail, they would force a two-way tie for the 18-5A lead with both teams standing at 5-1 with six games remaining in the district campaign. East View stands 19-4 on the season with the lone divot in its district record being a 45-36 loss to Hutto on its homecourt.
Both teams are coming off victories Tuesday with GHS having downed Hutto, 48-27, on the Lady Hippos’ hardwoods and East View having beaten Elgin, 32-21. Georgetown owns a 14-0 record in the all-time series with the Patriots that began during the 2012-13 season. With its three-game sweep of Hutto on Tuesday that included a 55-7 win in the JV game and a 53-14 victory in the Freshman Blue outing, Georgetown has now won all 51 of its games on the varsity, junior varsity and freshmen levels since the current 18-5A was created prior to last season by the UIL. This season’s Freshman Blue team stands 20-0, while the JV is 14-6. Both sub-varsity teams are 4-0 in 18-5A, counting the weather-canceled games with Bastrop Cedar Creek. In Tuesday’s varsity doings with the Lady Hippos, Georgetown, claiming its 31st consecutive season with at least 20 wins, led only 11-9 after the first quarter pushed the advantage out to 27-14 at the half. The Lady Eagles increased the lead to 39-23 after three quarters and then outscored Hutto, 9-4, in the final period. The Lady Hippos final field goal was scored with 27 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Second-half defense was a major factor in all three victories over Hutto. The JV and Freshman Blue only allowed the Lady Hippos a combined one point in the second half. Coach Tosha Doherty’s JV shutout Hutto in the second half and coach Katie Youngblood’s freshman allowed just one free throw in the third quarter. “I was proud of our girls on all three levels,” Farney said after a varsity game in which her non-starters logged considerable playing time. “In the varsity game, I thought (6-foot senior post) Mackenzy Mouton (nine points, seven rebounds and two blocks) played her best overall game of the season. We moved the ball well and we limited No. 14 (Manuella Shomba), No. 15 (Jadaiya Norman) or No. 22 (Dashia Williams) offensively. “(Senior guard) Kylie Ellsworth had two 3-pointers in the second quarter that helped open the game up. It’s good to be at least a game up on everybody with one-game left in the first half.” Hampton and Shomba were the only players in double figures as they led their teams with 10 points each. Ellsworth, Sander and Woodard added eight, six and five points, respectively. GHS shot 41.7 percent from the floor (20 of 48) and made six of its nine free throws. Hutto shot just 24.4 percent (10 of 41).
GHS posted a 37-17 edge on the boards with the 5-10 Hampton pulling down nine. Sander had six of the Lady Eagles’ 15 steals as they forced 18 Hutto turnovers. Ellsworth and Graci Harris each had four assists for Georgetown. After playing East View, the Lady Eagles will open the second half at home Tuesday night against Bastrop. Four of Georgetown’s six second half games will be at home, including those against all four playoff contenders. In the JV game, Brooke White and Jordyn Stout each scored 12 for GHS, while Shelia Lee added 10 points. On the freshman level, Taylor Meyners had 16, Madelyne Furr 11 and Erica Ranthum 10. The sub-varsity games at East View will find the JVs playing at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the EV auxiliary gym and the Freshman Blue playing at 11 a.m. Saturday at East View. Georgetown’s Freshman White will play Belton at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Georgetown.
***
GHS VS. EAST VIEW VARSITY SERIES
(GHS leads, 14-0)
Year — Game 1 Game-2
2012-2013 — 61-18 58-24
2013-2014 — 49-28 71-38
2014-2015 — 45-29 50-26
2015-2016 — 44-34 35-32
2016-2017 — 47-42 51-33
2017-2018 — 44-43 (OT) 52-36
2018-2019 — 38-33 45-18
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DISTRICT 18-5A RACE AT A GLANCE
(As of Tuesday, Jan. 14)
Standings: Georgetown, 5-0; East View, 4-1; Hutto, 3-2; Bastrop, 3-2; Manor, 2-3; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 1-5; Elgin, 0-5.
Tuesday (Dec. 10) results: Georgetown 45, Bastrop 40; East View 63, Manor 38; Hutto 82, Cedar Creek 29. Bye — Elgin.
Tuesday (Dec. 17) results: Georgetown 65, Elgin 44; East View 51, Cedar Creek 21; Bastrop 63, Manor 60. Bye — Hutto.
Thursday (Dec. 19) results: Bastrop 75, Cedar Creek 25.
Friday (Dec. 20) results: Hutto 45, East View 36; Manor 57, Elgin 37. Bye — Georgetown.
Tuesday (Jan. 7) results: Georgetown 47, Manor 42; Cedar Creek 33, Elgin 29; Bastrop 51, Hutto 46, 7p.m. Bye — East View.
Saturday (Jan. 11) results: Georgetown 71, Cedar Creek 7; East View 52, Bastrop 34; Hutto 59, Elgin 32. Bye — Manor.
Tuesday’s results: Georgetown 48, Hutto 27 ;East View 32, Elgin 21; Manor 80, Cedar Creek 42. Bye — Bastrop.
Friday’s games: Georgetown at East View, 6 p.m.; Hutto at Manor, 7 p.m.; Bastrop at Elgin, 7 p.m. Bye — Cedar Creek.
(End of first round)
TUESDAY’S DISTRICT 18-5A GAME
At Hutto
GEORGETOWN 48, HUTTO 27
GHS (48) — Ella Vickers 0- 0-0 0, Kylee Sander 2-10 2-2 6, Hailey Hanson 0-0 0-0, McCall Hampton 4-13 2-2 10, Kylie Ellsworth 3-5 0-0 8, Graci Harris 2-7 0-0 4, Mackenzy Mouton 4-5 1-2 9, Megan Herring 1-1 0-0 2. Mercedes Robledo 0-0 0-0 0, Lauren Woodard 2-3 1-4 5, Nia Williams 2-3 0-0 4. Totals: 20-48 6-9 48.
HUTTO (27) — Sincere McAlister 0 0-0 0, Heaven Jones 1 0-0 2, Manuella Shomba 2 6-12 10, Jadaiya Norman 2 0-0 5, Dashia Williams 3 0-0 6, Yetzi Correa 1 0-0 2, Alana Balderas 1 0-0 2, Mikayla Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 10-41 6-12 27.
Halftime: GHS, 27-14. 3-point shooting: GHS 2-10 (Vickers 0-1, Sander 0-4, Ellsworth 2-3, Harris 0-2); HHS 1 (Norman 1). Blocks: GHS 2 (Mouton 2); HHS 0. Assists: GHS 13 (Ellsworth 4, Harris 4). Rebounds: GHS 37 (Hampton 9, Mouton 7, Ellsworth 5, Sander 5, Harris 4); HHS 17. Steals: GHS 15 (Sander 6, Harris 2); HHS 5. Turnovers: GHS 13, HHS 18. Total fouls: GHS 13; HHS 10. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none. Records: GHS, 5-0 in 18-5A, 20-7; Hutto, 3-2 in 18-5A, 11-19.
Note: Does not include complete Hutto individual statistics.
***
TUESDAY’S SUB VARSITY GAMES
(GHS scoring only)
GEORGETOWN JV 55, HUTTO JV 7 — Jacqui Spencer 7, Brooke White 12, Sam Folsom 0, Tanaya Smith 0, Morgan Larson 6, Shelia Lee 10, Brielle Maxwell 4, Vyctorya Lehr 4, Jordyn Stout 12, Lauren Cavanaugh 0. Halftime: GHS 31-7. GHS record: 4-0 in 18-5A, 14-6.
GEORGETOWN FRESHMAN BLUE 53, HUTTO FRESHMEN 14 — Erica Ramthun 10, Avery Lopez 3, Jane Butler 6, Taylor Meyners 16, Amiya Gonzalez 2, Madelyne Furr 11, Ainsley Pielczar 5. Halftime: GHS, 25-13. GHS record: 14-0 in 18-5A, 20-0.
***
LADY EAGLES REMAINING GAMES
(Current record: 20-7 season, 5-0 district)
District 18-5A Games
Friday, Jan. 17 — at East View, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 21 — Bastrop, 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 24 — at Elgin, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 28 — OPEN DATE.
Friday, Jan. 31 — Manor, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 4 — at Bastrop Cedar Creek 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7 — Hutto, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 11 — East View, 7:30 p.m.
Note: Both East View games are doubleheaders with the boys.
***
LADY EAGLES SEASON TO DATE
(Current record: 20-7 season, 5-0 district)
November
8 — Round Rock Cedar Ridge (l) 38-44
11 — at Waco Midway (l) 28-52
***
Eaton Varsity Tournament (Ft. Worth)
14 — Ft. Worth Haltom (l) 37-42
14 — Keller Fossil Ridge (w) 51-35
15 — Ponder (w) 49-38
16 — Eaton (w) 54-32
***
19 — Vista Ridge (l) 40-55
25 — Victoria East (w) 48-43
26 — at Lorena (w) 35-27
30 — Vandegrift (w) 42-31
December
2 — Kyle Lehman (w) 80-19
***
Jack Frost Tournament (Georgetown)
5 — Austin Akins (w) 55-30
5 — Killeen (w) 52-39
6 — S.A. Incarnate Word (w) 52-37
7 — Ponder (w) 49-39
7 — Cedar Park (l) 34-61
***
10 — at Bastrop* (w) 45-40
13 — at Austin Westlake (l) 33-65
17 — Elgin* (w) 65-44
20 — Burnet (w) 70-35
***
Flowing Wells Holiday Shootout (Tucson, Az.)
27 — Tucson Desert Christian (w) 79-26
27 — Tucson Empire (w) 65-28
28 — Sahuayo (l) 58-60
28 — Marana (w) 64-38
***
January
7 — at Manor* (w) 47-42
11 — Bastrop Cedar Creek* (w) 71-7
14 — at Hutto* (w) 48-27
* — denotes District 18-5A game.
GHS SEASON LEADERS
Points in a game — Hampton, 22 of his team’s 35 points vs. Lorena.
Rebounds in a game — Hampton, 16 vs. Manor
***
TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES
CLASS 5A RANKINGS
(Released Monday, Jan. 13)
- Amarillo (24-2). 2. Cedar Park (21-3). 3. Red Oak (17-6). 4. Corpus Christi Carroll (22-4). 5. Pearland Shadow Creek (21-4). 6. GEORGETOWN (19-7). 7. Mansfield Timberview (17-8). 8. Fort Bend Hightower (21-5). 9. Denton Braswell (19-4). 10. Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial (22-6). 11. Wichita Falls Rider (22-1). 12. Royse City (18-5). 13. San Antonio Veterans Memorial (18-7). 14. Kerrville Tivy (21-4). 15. College Station (19-5). 16. Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill (22-4). 17. Brownsville Veterans (22-5). 18. Frisco Liberty (17-9). 19. Boerne Champion (19-6). 20. Lubbock Monterey (23-3). 21. Lake Dallas (16-4). 22. Jacksonville (14-8). 23. Corpus Christi Flour Bluff (11-6). 24. Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway (18-6). 25. Huntsville (14-6).
Note: Records provided by TABC.
TEXAS GIRLS COACHES ASSOCIATION
CLASS 5A RANKINGS
(Released Monday, Jan. 13)
- Amatillo (24-2). 2. Wichita Falls Rider (22-1). 3. Cedar Park (21-3). 4. Lubbock Monterey (22-3). 5. Pearland Shadow Creek (21-4). 6. Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill (22-4). 7. Denton Braswell (19-4). 8. Red Oak (17-6). 9. Corpus Christi Carroll (22-4). 10. Fort Bend Hightower (21-5). 11. San Antonio Veterans Memorial (18-7). 12. Kerrville Tivy (21-4). 13. Fort Worth Arlington Heights (16-3). 14. Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial (22-6). 15. GEORGETOWN (19-7). 16. Royse City (18-5). 17. College Station (19-5). 18. Brownsville Veterans (22-5). 19. Dripping Spring (19-7). 20. Pflugerville Connally (19-9). 21. El Paso El Dorado (18-5). 22. Boerne Champion (19-6). 23. Georgetown East View (18-4). 24. Magnolia West (19-6). 25. (tie) Bryan Rudder (23-2), El Paso Eastwood (19-5), Lake Dallas (16-4) and Frisco Liberty (17-9).